S.B. No. 1237

	AN ACT
	relating to the powers and duties of defense base development
	authorities; modifying the power of eminent domain.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 379B, Local Government Code, is amended
	by adding Section 379B.0041 to read as follows:
	Sec. 379B.0041.  INLAND PORT AND TRADE POWERS.  (a)  The
	authority may establish and operate an inland port and related port
	facilities to engage in world trade.
	(b)  The authority may participate in national and
	international agreements advancing world trade at the port.
	SECTION 2.  Section 379B.0045, Local Government Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 379B.0045.  EMINENT DOMAIN.  (a)  An authority or an
	authority whose subject property is within the territorial limits
	of a municipality may exercise the power of eminent domain to
	acquire property in [or adjacent to] the base property or in an area
	surrounding the base only in the manner provided by Chapter 21,
	Property Code.
	(b)  Before the authority initiates an eminent domain
	proceeding to acquire property, the board must:
	(1)  adopt a master development and redevelopment plan
	for the property in [or adjacent to] the base property or in an area
	surrounding the base and incorporate and approve the plan as part of
	the master plan of the municipality in which the base property is
	located; and
	(2)  find, after conducting a public hearing, that:
	(A)  notice of the hearing was published in a
	newspaper of general circulation in the municipality in which the
	base property is located not later than the 15th day before the date
	of the hearing;
	(B)  the property lies in a redevelopment project
	designated under Section 379B.009 [378.009, as added by Chapter
	1221, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999]; and
	(C)  the use of eminent domain is necessary to
	acquire the property to carry out the essential objectives of the
	master development and redevelopment plan as approved by the
	municipality.
	SECTION 3.  Chapter 379B, Local Government Code, is amended
	by adding Section 379B.0085 to read as follows:
	Sec. 379B.0085.  HEARINGS BY TELEPHONE OR SIMILAR MEANS.
	(a)  As an exception to Chapter 551, Government Code, and other
	law, if the president or vice president of a board, or chairperson
	or vice chairperson of a board committee, is physically present at a
	meeting of the board or committee, any number of the other members
	of the board or committee may attend the meeting by use of telephone
	conference call, video conference call, or other similar
	telecommunication device.  This subsection applies for purposes of
	constituting a quorum, for purposes of voting, and for any other
	purpose allowing a board or committee member to otherwise fully
	participate in any board or committee meeting.  This subsection
	applies without exception with regard to the subject of the meeting
	or topics considered by the members.
	(b)  A meeting held by use of telephone conference call,
	video conference call, or other similar telecommunication device:
	(1)  is subject to the notice requirements applicable
	to other meetings;
	(2)  must specify in the notice of the meeting the
	location of the meeting at which the president, vice president,
	chairperson, or vice chairperson will be physically present;
	(3)  must be open to the public and audible to the
	public at the location specified in the notice of the meeting as the
	location of the meeting at which the president, vice president,
	chairperson, or vice chairperson will be physically present; and
	(4)  must provide two-way audio communication between
	all board or committee members attending the meeting during the
	entire meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with
	any member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the
	meeting may not continue until the two-way audio communication link
	is reestablished.
	SECTION 4.  Subsection (a), Section 379B.009, Local
	Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(a)  The board may designate as a redevelopment project a
	project that relates to:
	(1)  the development of base property and the
	surrounding areas; or
	(2)  the development of property directly related to
	the purposes or goals of the authority [a defense base in the
	territory of the municipality that established the authority and
	areas surrounding that base].
	SECTION 5.  The change in law made by Section 379B.0085,
	Local Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a
	meeting of the board of directors of a defense base development
	authority or a meeting of a board committee that occurs on or after
	the effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1237 passed the Senate on
	April 26, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1237 passed the House on
	May 23, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, two
	present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor